The Search for Will

Chapter 8

     Cole looked at his surroundings as he walked through the streets. He had crossed the river Taurbus and now he found himself in the town of Redmont. It was a big town, with two story buildings common throughout. He liked the feel of it. As he passed the bakery, the warm smell of fresh bread enveloped him. He smiled. He liked to smile. Cole stood there for a few seconds, enjoying the warmth radiating from the bakery.

     A loud crash sounded from behind him. He whirled around, instantly alert. A woman screamed, but he couldn't see where all the noise was coming from. Others in the streets stopped in their tracks. They seemed to be just as confused.

     "Over here!" a man in wool yelled, and rushed down a side alley on the opposite side of the street from the bakery. Several more men followed him, carrying various objects that happened to be nearby, such as an ax and a small wood log from a cart. Cole followed five meters behind, curious but careful. The four men rounded a corner behind a small stable, and Cole followed. He peeked his head around the corner, just enough to see what was going on.

     A toppled over pile of firewood blocked most of his view, but he heard the four men fighting and grunting with their small weapons. Cole creeped up to the wood pile and crouched behind it, looking at the scene before him. Three of the Redmont townsmen busied themselves in combat with two other largely built men. They both had knives. The townsmen weren't skilled fighters, and it seemed to be a losing battle compared to the two hulking masses before them. There was little Cole could do to help. 

     He noticed movement behind them and turned his attention away. There was another man with a horse and two children. One child was crying, a boy of the age of nine, another fighting, a girl about 12. The man hit the girl over the head with a club, and strapped her onto the horse. The boy tried to run away, but the man grabbed him by the collar, and hauled him up onto the horse easily. Cole noticed another woman trying to fight the man from behind with a broom. The man turned around and snapped the broom in half. She cowered in fear.

     He turned his attention back to the fight before him. One man on either side down. Two fought the remaining kidnapper, while one lay on the ground in pain with his own knife buried deep in his thigh. The fourth townsman came up behind the kidnapper and jumped on him, pulling his head back and causing him to topple over. He rolled over on top of the townsman and started punching. The other two came on top of him and tried to pull him off. 

     Cole looked up and noticed a King's Ranger coming to help through the trees. Cole noticed the woman now lying on the ground, the horses starting off carrying two young children and a man. He jumped up from behind the woodpile.

     "He's getting away!" He yelled to the Ranger. He pointed at the man and the two horses, now rushing through the trees down a narrow path. There was still one horse left. The Ranger changed directions instantly, chasing down the kidnapper.

     The four men before him stopped for just a second, startled at the young boys sudden appearance. The kidnapper recovered first. With a desperate surge of energy, he got up, pushing the two townsmen off him. He ran to Cole, before they could react. Cole screamed in fright and jumped off the wood pile, down into the dirt. He ran around the corner of the stable. He could hear the gruff man's footsteps coming closer and closer. Cole knew he wouldn't be able to outrun him, so he rushed around another corner of the stable, to the door. He turned around and tried to open it, but it was locked. 

     Just then the tall man came around the corner trying to slow down. Now Cole found himself trapped between the stable and the man. He backed up into the corner of the stable and the woman's house. The kidnapper walked slowly towards him, arms outspread.  Cole looked around desperately for a means of escape. The house window. Before the man could react, he threw open the slightly ajar shutters and bounced up onto the window ledge, trying to wiggle into the room.